Ruth Collins Hope

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Ruth Collins Hope was born June 14, 1912, to Andrew and Grace (Staley) Collins, of Ottawa, Kan. After high school at Ottawa, she received her economics education at Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, at Manhattan, Kan., in 1934.

She married Boyd H. Hope, July 30, 1935. They lived in Kansas and Missouri then moved to Englewood, Colo. They came to Corvallis, Ore., in 1967. Boyd died in 1985. Ruth moved to The Regent Residence, in January 2001.

Ruth taught home economics at Alton, Mo., and at Paola, Kan. In the Denver area, she taught elementary grades for 10 years. She was an active 4-H leader in Vernon County, Mo., and for a year wrote a weekly farm column for the Nevada Daily Mail.

During her time in the mid-west, she wrote items that were published in Country Gentlemen, Farm Journal, Household Magazine, National 4-H Magazine, and Woman's Day.

In Corvallis, Ruth helped promote the Abundant Foods program for the local Extension Service.

She was a working member of the Nursing Home Task Force, the Linn-Benton Diabetes Association, and of Creative Writing at the Senior Center.

After her husband's death, she traveled extensively -- especially with Elderhostel.

Mrs. Hope enjoyed traveling, reading and writing, collecting seashells and rocks, and companionship with many friends.

She is survived by two sons, Wayne Hope, of Dallas, Ga., and Dale Hope, of Naples, Fla. Other survivors include four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A funeral service is planned for 2 p.m., Tuesday, April 1, at McHenry Funeral Home, in Corvallis, Ore. Burial will be at Crystal Lake Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Corvallis Benton County Public Library, in care of McHenry Funeral Home, 206 N.W. Fifth St., Corvallis, OR 97330.